New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-11
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A MODEL SRAMAN.
MATTHEW CALBRAIrH PERRY. typical AMER
rsa Naval Ofheer. BY wiLLish EiLhn GRIFFIN


brai,h Perry has Violently been labor Of love to
the writer who holds that the subject OF his
memoir was a much greater man than his elder
brother the hero OF lake Erie and that he is also
In some sort a neglected great man. The me
moir itself sufficiently explains the failure OF
Commodore Perry TO attain the renown of his
brother Oliver. While the younger officers ca
pacity was undoubtedly large, his opportunities
were com aratively few; and the normal effect
Of the greatest he enjoyed WAS neutralized to
considerable extent by the rising agitation which
absorbed the attention Of the American people
in the years preceding the elimination Of the
anti-slavery controversy. la the War OF 1872
young Perry was, indeed. at sea. but lie was not
fortunate enough to lie engaged in any sctlon with
the British. lie took prizes md that was all
In the Mexican War he was given the command
OF the largest squadron which up 10 that Perod
the republic had assembled. and at Vera Cruz
he afforded General Scott imrortant if not in
valuable aid by his naval battery. whose Paix-
han guns quickly preached the walls Of the Castle
and com eled surrender OF the citadel and town.
Scott. however was afflicted with so defective
a memory that in writing bis autobiography after
ward he completely forgot poor Perry, and in his
account OF the investment and capture OF Vera
Cruz re made no mention OF the assistance rem
dered by the navy.
OF course this omission was followed by
other writers. with the general result that
Commodore Perry has received much less
than his need Of praise in connection
with the Mexican War That his merits
were recognized at naval headquarters Is however
shown IN the appointment offered him whom the
JAPANESE question opened Here he had full
control and there can be no question that he con-
Quoted delicate and difficult undertaking 10 a
spccesSful isyue in "a mastery wav. To approach
a long-lsolated, deeply conservative, hiPh-sp'rl'ed
Asia ic peDp e. hedced about with forms and ce-e-
monies. full of jealousy and antiquated prejudice;
to overcome their rooted disiikes and objections
by diplomacy; 10 obtain from them CONCESSIONS
and privileges which really opened the door to
commercial intercourse. was on enterprise OF
the most forbidding and unhopefui character
Commodore Perry. TO his eternal honor
be 1t sad, accomplished everything he he'd under
taken without violence. without bullying. without
coercion of any kind. He thus proved himself
consmnmate ne sotiator and an officer of exception
ally b DAD judgment and high principles MIR.
Grlfis having lived in japan was specially quaI-
fed TO describe the ConHnodores doIngs III the
Mikado's empire, and lie has really written a par
tcuiarly clever and interesting account of the
expedition. Commodore Perry superIntended the
preparation o. the report and wrote most of 1t HIM
SELL spdTing neither time money 10 the service
The only reward ne received from the Government
was one Thousand copies of the completed report.
Several cities were more appreclative but the he
pub &c had no. then earned 70 he grateful
Commodore Perry was a man OF sinCu lar adapta-
blIity and hence the most valuable Of his services
to the navy. He never fell into a rut All his iiie
he kept bis eyes and mind open. watching the
progress Of naval architecture. the advance of steam
rs a motor for warships. he changes IN uava ar
tillcry, the erowta of armor the development of
the torpedo. anG. in short. everything tina should
engage the attention OF Jealous and Intelligent
commander He perhap> the first 10 reaize
that the era of sailing warships wa bout to end
and that steam onld DONNA. anime warfare
theme forth end be was 81 i'm -tani factor in he
changes winch were made IN - navy about this
time He constantly pushed varIous reforms in
the morale of The navy also To hm is
due the abolition of grog-orinking, aud his
influence cast for the remuneration
of the cat A stern disciplinarian himself he was
never a believer in cruel or frequent punshmenis
and preferred to obtain his ends b. moral sue
SION 1t Is rather odd that many OF the best class
of man-o'wars men were opposed 10 the abolition |
of ogging, arguing that the cat kept up the dis
tlnctOn bet wcen the good and the bad seamen.
Commodore Perry the main organizer of the |
Naval Lyceuni at The Brooklyn Navy Yard. and
was always active and prominent In every under
taking looking to the improvement OF the service
He was. indeed, far IN advance OF most OF his
contcmporar IN many respects. Thus. he had mas
tered hygenic laws and found means to avoid sour
w on H. c vessels under his command, when other
ships in the navy we're crlppied by the disease. Tie
also succeeded IN keeping his crew IN good health
during a prolonged cruise on the deadly African
coast With equal fores ght and Judgment he m
sisted on the organization Of schools for engineer
ing seeing plainly long before Others did that the
naval officer of the future must be passed eDgi-
neer as well as q seaman and navigator. HIS
services we're less important In the inception
and development of the present efficient lighthouse
system. He was sent to Europe 10 study the sub
ject and the result OF his reports was the es-
Establishment of the lentcular system. Devoted to
his prOe sion determined TO keep abreast OF nven-
tlon and discovery, alert and keen OF mind,
sagacious in council and quick III action. he com
blned the verv best qualities a naval officer can
possess Had he lived until the rebellion broke out
there can be no doubt that he wOnld nave dislin-
guishcd himself In defence Of the Union. and ii Is
equally certain that he would have been a most
valuable adviser to the Washington Government.
lie VAS truly. as MIR. Grfhs says, typical Ameri-
can naval officer: capable loyal. trust worthy, gal
liant. ool-headed gen'lemanly In manner and
bearing interchangeable when work Of any kind was
to DO done. He never reached higher raLk than
that of Commodore, and that gave him only the
pay ard standing OF fost-Captaln. Inc Nory Oh
his well-fled. honorable life as told by Mr. Grlffs IL
full of interest and useful suggestion, and one OF
the most obvious reflections which 1t gives rise to
is. the pevsrsity of the national policy which in
the past has done much to discourage men OF
like parts from serving their country, and to drive
them into occupations which promise subs antial
rewards to energy and bralns
sOUTHERN sH.HoUETrES BY JEANETTE II. WAL
WORTH. l2mo Pr 376. Henry Holt q 90.
These sketches h we vaiue as giving perma-
hence to impressions of ex met or nearly extinct
phases of social life. The peculiar conditions
which differentiated the South from the Of tho
country before the war. the changes which that